From the 1986-87 to the 2005-06 school years, taxpayer spending on government-run K-12 schools increased from $6.6 billion to almost $22 billion—a 72% increase after adjusting for inflation. Current spending costs nearly $4,400 in state, local, and federal taxes per Pennsylvania household.

The Commonwealth spends more on public education, per-student, than all but five other states (adjusting for cost of living differences), and ranks 4th in average teacher salary. Between 1996-97 and 2005-2006, Pennsylvania’s public schools have added over 43,000 staff—teachers, administrators, and support staff—while enrollment increased by only 26,000. Thus, for every new student, schools added 1.6 staff.

How is the return on our investment?

Pennsylvania continues to rate near the bottom in SAT scores, finishing 47th among the states in average total score in 2006. Among the 13 states and DC with a 70% or higher participation rate, Pennsylvania ranks 11th in average SAT Score. SAT scores in Pennsylvania remain stagnant. The average composite score for Pennsylvania students has changed only marginally since 1987; the 2006 results were 0.3% below what they were in 1987.

Nearly half of all Pennsylvania 11th-grade students are below their grade level in mathematics, and 35% are below proficient in reading. Proficiency rates on the state test get worse as our children get older. In other words, the more time students spend in public schools, the further behind they fall. Worse yet, Pennsylvania students score far worse on the national NAEP test than the state tests indicate. In 2005, NAEP results indicated that most 8th-grade students in Pennsylvania were below their grade level (only 36% proficient in reading and 31% in math).

Clearly, more dollars have failed to produce more scholars in Pennsylvania.

School Choice Saves

In addition to the well document academic benefits of school choice programs, programs of choice have the potential to save taxpayers money. While public school spending routinely outpaces inflation and enrollment growth, educational alternatives are delivering quality education for a fraction of the cost of traditional public school districts. Students in public charter schools, private schools, and home schools saved taxpayers more than $3 billion in the 2005-06 school year alone. The taxpayers of Pennsylvania could experience even more dramatic savings in school taxes if all parents were empowered to choose schools for their children outside the traditional public school system.

Giving parents more choices in where their children can go to school will provide a better system of education while reducing the cost to taxpayers. Under the current public school district assignment system—whereby children are assigned a public school based on where they live—most parents’ economic situation denies them the freedom to choose the best school for their children. By empowering families with the ability to choose from an array of choices among public, charter, private, and home schools—without financial penalty—policymakers in Harrisburg can reduce spending while providing a higher quality education to every young Pennsylvanian.